Enabling Next Generation Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

Twenty-first century products demand a new toolset of manufacturing techniques and materials; next generation multifunctional Additive Manufacturing (AM) is one such key tool. As an enabler for new smart, cost-effective, functional 3D heterogeneous devices, products and advanced materials, it will be an essential instrument for future industrial applications and advanced research across a wide spectrum of disciplines and sectors. To accelerate next-generation AM, we have established a multi-institution, multidisciplinary team which spans both basic/applied sciences and engineering and involves collaborations with two leading international research groups and eight multinational industry partners. Our vision is to establish controlled next generation multifunctional AM and translate this to industry and researchers. Initially focussing on novel electronic and pharmaceutical/healthcare applications, we aim to move beyond single material AM by exploiting the potential to deposit multiple materials contemporaneously for the delivery of spatially resolved function and structure in three dimensions (3D). Owing to potentially radical differences in physical state, chemistry and compatibility, our primary challenge is at the interface of the deposited materials. This programme will focus on overcoming the challenges of spatially controlled co-deposition of dissimilar materials in 3D and we will establish new understanding and methods of both modelling and controlling co-deposition. Exploitation of our findings will be undertaken through higher TRL schemes with our network of research and industrial partners and the wider innovation ecosystem through existing and future projects.

Planned Impact

Beneficiaries of the research will include:- The Programme's researchers, academic's and industrial partners will benefit through participation in an internationally leading research effort. This will result in a marked increase in their understanding of multi-material coalescence/interaction for the four process families to be investigated and will unlock multidisciplinary potential for multi-material, multi-functional devices. - The Programme will train PhDs and Post-Doctoral Researchers in the rich multidisciplinary environment of a world-class partnership of industry and academia. Coupled with the application foci, this will yield demonstrable real-world relevance and impact set against state-of-the-art fundamental research - The wider academic community will garner value from the research programme through published articles in leading journals and conference presentations; disseminating the materials and process understanding will underpin the accelerated exploitation of the multifunctional AM capability across research disciplines.- UK industry will benefit through new research that further enhances the UK's leading position in AM technology and exploitation. The research will impact existing products and new product conception and realisation, with corresponding economic, societal, healthcare and environmental benefits.- The HVM Catapult (especially through our strong connection with the MTC) and its members will benefit by having a pipeline of research to exploit in future years, emanating from this lower TRL activity.- Society will benefit through the expedited realisation of advanced multifunctional devices which will have multi-sectoral benefits from improved healthcare devices and treatment options to (e.g.) improved energy storage devices - The healthcare system will benefit through the genuine advancement in technologies which have the capability to help deliver on the need for personalised healthcare and advanced pharmaceutical/medical devices, helping alleviate current, and the inevitable future, demands on healthcare services. - Younger generations and the wider public will benefit through clear and well-developed engagement strategy in local schools and a programme of public engagement events

Collaboration and early adopter translation of the research outcomes (the understanding and dynamic control of dissimilar material deposition in 3-dimensions) will be a major mechanism to channel the impact of this Programme, delivering value to the stakeholders and the wider scientific and industrial community. Our focus will be driven through two key application areas and is built on both current and fresh alliances to global industrial partners (see attached letters of support):

The Pharmaceutical / Healthcare Sector: Through strategic partnering with AstraZeneca and Pfizer on this Programme, we have a wealth of global pharmaceutical research and development excellence to bear upon and engage in our research strategy. Our vision and ambitions are both endorsed and shared by an industry who are readily equipped to capitalise and exploit technological advances which can have substantial impact on society's health and wellbeing whilst bringing additional and significant economic benefits.

The Electronics sector: Embedded electronics within devices is a fundamental precept of functionality (often the function within a device). The ability to produce the "function" and "structure" within a single manufacturing process enables not only the reduced assembly and parts consolidation advantages of AM but also the freedom to design and create products not previously achievable. Our collaborators AWE, Canon-Oce, Texas Instruments and Rogers Corp provide a body of pioneering organisations who understand and anticipate the innumerable opportunities and applications that next generation AM capability will generate and want to be at the forefront of that technological innovation

AWE will contribute £270,000 towards metaljetting and jetting aspects of the Programme's work and a contract has not yet been signed.

Impact

There are no outputs as yet.

Start Year

2018

Description

Astra Zeneca

Organisation

AstraZeneca

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Private

PI Contribution

Supervision, project design, training, access to laboratories and facilities in the University of Nottingham Faculty of Engineering and School of Pharmacy

Collaborator Contribution

Funding for two PhD studentships each at £32,550.00 = £65,100.00 total, some supervision, and access to their pharmaceutical expertise and experimental facilities.

Impact

No outcomes yet. Multidisciplinary collaboration.

Start Year

2019

Description

Dstl studentships

Organisation

Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL)

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Public

PI Contribution

Project design and supervision of a PhD studentship, access to laboratory faculties.

Collaborator Contribution

Funding and supervision of two PhD studentships (£130,000) which will start in October 2019. A representative of Dstl sits on the Programme's Advisory Board and provides links to the wider defence community.

Impact

The studentships will commence in October 2019 and an agreement will be signed once the students have been recruited. Useful contributions have been made by the Dstl colleague who sits on the Programme's Advisory Board.

Share advances in mutli-material fabrication and collaborate on the further development of the two-photon process and modelling simulation of liquid metals. A material transfer agreement is being prepared.

Collaborator Contribution

Collaborate on the further development of the two-photon process and modelling simulation of liquid metals. This will involve hosting students, post-docs and staff at LLNL, frequent visits and exchanges and possible access to their capability either through LLNL staff or direct utilisation.

Impact

No outcomes as yet

Start Year

2018

Description

Metaljet with Canon Oce

Organisation

Océ Holding

Country

Netherlands

Sector

Private

PI Contribution

We have established an exclusive relationship with Canon Oce in the Netherlands to be their research partner in turning their proprietary metaljetting technology in to a Additive Manufacturing system.

Collaborator Contribution

Supply of their proprietary metaljet technology

Impact

Award of EPSRC funds for "Eight Great Technologies" for specialist metaljetting equipment

Start Year

2013

Description

NPL

Organisation

National Physical Laboratory

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

Share research advances regarding the Programme's Research Challenge 1

Collaborator Contribution

Share their expertise and allow access for a fee to their 3DNanoSIMS equipment.

Impact

A collaborative paper has been published in the journal 'ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces'.

Start Year

2018

Description

Texas Instruments Inc

Organisation

Texas Instruments Inc.

Country

United States

Sector

Private

PI Contribution

Report relevant research advances

Collaborator Contribution

In kind access to their tools and project support worth approx £60,000 was promised

Impact

No outcomes as yet

Start Year

2018

Description

University of Birmingham

Organisation

University of Birmingham

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

Professor Yulii Shikhmurzaev from the University of Birmingham is a co-applicant on the EPSRC Enabling Next Generation Additive Manufacturing Programme Grant. He sits on the Programme's Executive Team and will line manage a research fellow working on Research Challenge 2 of the Programme.

Collaborator Contribution

Professor Yulii Shikhmurzaev from the University of Birmingham is a co-applicant on the EPSRC Enabling Next Generation Additive Manufacturing Programme Grant. He sits on the Programme's Executive Team and will line manage a research fellow working on Research Challenge 2 of the Programme.

Impact

No outcomes as yet

Start Year

2018

Description

University of Warwick

Organisation

University of Warwick

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

Dr James Sprittles from the University of Warwick is a co-applicant on the EPSRC Enabling Next Generation Additive Manufacturing Programme Grant. He sits on the Programme's Executive Team, is joint lead for the Programme's Research Challenge 2 and line manages a Programme research fellow.

Collaborator Contribution

Dr James Sprittles from the University of Warwick is a co-applicant on the EPSRC Enabling Next Generation Additive Manufacturing Programme Grant. He sits on the Programme's Executive Team, is joint lead for the Programme's Research Challenge 2 and line manages a Programme research fellow.

Impact

Dr Sprittles is an author on 6 journal papers which have acknowledged this Programme.

Start Year

2018

Description

Co-host: Additive International Conference

Form Of Engagement Activity

Participation in an activity, workshop or similar

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

International

Primary Audience

Professional Practitioners

Results and Impact

Additive International is the premier summit for academic and industrial leaders in Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing. Since 2006, we have showcased next-generation technology and the latest thinking, providing a forum for practitioners to build their networks and drive innovation.

The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) organized FAPESP WEEK LONDON on 11-12 February 2019. The international symposium aimed to strengthen the links between researchers from Brazil and the United Kingdom, with the objective of promoting research partnerships. It is part of the UK-Brazil Year of Science and Innovation (YoSI) 2018-2019. FAPESP is one of the major funding agencies for scientific research in Brazil. Funded by the public taxpayer, its mission is to foster scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known by the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaborationsProgramme researcher Gustavo Ferraz Trindade connected with other researchers and gathered information about funding for potential collaborations involving the application of metal/organic 3D printing for the manufacture of GEM detectors (collaboration between UON-USP-CERN).

The conference brought together internationally leading researchers across a wide range of disciplines in both academia and industry to exchange ideas and discuss new research on physics of printing and droplet deposition. The focus was on experimental and numerical research that advances the science in the field of wetting kinematics, drying phenomena, sintering of nanoparticles, rheology and influence of recent research on printing/deposition technologies.The invited speakers were from academia and industry, and was organised by the Institute of Physics Printing and Graphics Group. Programme researcher Dr Ehab Saleh was an organiser, Co-I Dr James Sprittes spoke about his research on modelling of droplet/substrate interface phenomenon and researcher Dr Gustavo Ferraz Trindade presented a poster on the advanced characterisation of multimaterial 3D printed objects . The outcome was that Programme members from three different Research Challenges connected with colleagues in related fields.